Universal releasable suspension garment hanger clamp



March 15, 1966 R. c. SCHNEIDER 3,240,452

UNIVERSAL RELEASABLE SUSPENSION GARMENT HANGER CLAMP Filed April 7, 1964 INVENTOR,

United States Patent 3,240,462 UNIVERSAL RELEASABLE SUSPENSION GARMENT HANGER CLAMP Richard C. Schneider, 804 NE. th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Filed Apr. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 357,974 3 Claims. (Cl. 248-323) This invention pertains to a releasable suspension clamp, adaptable to various garment hangers for use on a horizontal clothes line for the purpose of drying and airing garments.

It is the object of this invention to provide a clamping device for conventional pants, skirts, and clothes hangers which will secure them to a horizontal clothes line in such a manner as to prevent said hangers from being dislodged from the clothes line under extreme windy conditions.

Another object of this invention is to secure said hangers to the clothes line in such a manner as to prevent said hangers from moving longitudinally on the clothes line, thereby assuring a positive stationary spacing of hangered garments.

For further comprehension of. the invention, and the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various features of the invention are set forth.

FIGURE I. A view of the clamping device as adapted to a conventional garment hanger.

FIGURE II. A perspective drawing of the clamping device adapted to a garment hanger and attached to a horizontal clothes line.

FIGURE III. An exploded perspective drawing of the component parts of the clamping device.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown a modified conventional wire garment hanger body 1, as attached to the Releasable Garment Hanger Suspension Clamp.

This releasable suspension clamping device is composed of a one piece suspension arm, a one piece clamping arm, an expansible means, and a pivot mounting pin.

The one piece Y shaped suspension arm 2, has at the upper extremity for suspension from a horizontal clothes line, twin hooks 6, in horizontal alignment, reversely bent and opening downwardly in the same direction. At the base of said suspension arm 2, and on the obverse side is an expanded opening 3, which serves as a means of attachment to modified conventional garment hangers 1. On the obverse side of, and at right angles to, extending the length of the lower extremity of the Y shaped suspension body 2, a two part integral pivot mounting facility 4, is formed, one on each side, each part provided with a horizontally aligned pivot aperture 5.

V The clamping arm 8, has in the lower portion a similar two part integral pivot mounting facility 9, each part provided with a horizontally aligned pivot aperture 10, said mounting facility 9, sized to fit between pivot mounting facility 4, of suspension body 2. A short extension lip stop 12, at the lower extremity is bent to the proper angle to limit expansive movement of said clamping arm 8. At midpoint 14, said clamping arm is reversely bent to obtain clearance when in a compressed position, thereby permitting the suspension hooks to engage clothes line 15. The upper extremity of clamping arm 8, is obversely bent to form a partial, free end, locking hook 11.

The expansible means, for example, a torsion spring 13, is assembled between suspension body 2, and clamping arm 8, in a semi-compressed state, thereby supplying pressure to said clamping arm 8. Pivot pin 7, when inserted into left pivot aperture 5, of suspension arm 2,

3,240,462 Patented Mar. 15, 1966 "ice through left pivot aperture 10, of clamping arm 8, through torsion spring 13, through right pivot aperture 10, of clamping arm 8, and into right aperture 5, of suspension body 2, completes the assembly of the releasable suspension clamping device."

In attaching the releasable suspension clamping device to conventional garment hangers, said hangers are modified by eliminating the conventional hook, leaving only a short straight stub. This short stub is then inserted into the expanded opening 3, at the base of suspension body 2 and secured by a spot weld.

The operation of the invention is as follows: When the component parts of the releasable suspension clamping device are assembled, thumb pressure applied to clamping arm 8, forces said clamping arm between the twin suspension hooks 6 of suspension body 2, into an open position, allowing twin hooks 6, to be engaged with horizontal clothes line 15. Thumb pressure is then released causing locking hook 11 of said clamping arm 8, to make contact with clothes line 15, securing the releasable suspension clamping device firmly in place on said clothes line.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Because numerous modifications' and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction as shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications would fall within the scope of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect 'by letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A releasable suspension clamping device for suspending articles from a line, comprising a generally flat Y-shaped suspension member having a pair of horizontally aligned hooks at its upper extremity, a clamping member having a hook at its upper extremity with the hook on the clamping member arm being disposed between the hooks on the suspension member and lying in the same horizontal plane with the hooks on the suspension member and facing generally in the opposite direction from the hooks on the suspension member, means for pivotally connecting the lower portion of the suspension member and the lower portion of the clamping member, means associated with the lower portion of one of said members for receiving a hanger, and resilient means for urging the clamping member in a direction away from the suspension member whereby the hook of the clamping member will urge a line into engagement with the hooks on the suspension member.

2. A releasable suspension clamping device adapted to support articles from a line, comprising a generally flat body having a pair of upwardly extending spaced arms with each arm terminating in a horizontally aligned downwardly opening hook, each arm being formed with a reverse bend whereby the centerlines of the hooks are in vertical alignment with the body, a pair of flanges extending outwardly from the lower portion of the body in the same direction as said bend, the lower portion of the body having an opening with a vertical axis to receive the straight end of a hanger, a clamping arm having a hook at the upper extremity with the hook on the clamping arm being disposed between the hooks on the body and said hook on the clamping member opening generally in the opposite direction from the hooks on the body, a pair of spaced flanges extending outwardly from the lower portion of the clamping arm toward the body and disposed generally flatwise to the flanges on the body, shaft means pivotally connecting the flanges together, a spring associated with the shaft means for urging the clamping arm in a direction away from the body, and

stop means associated with the lower end of the clamping arm and engageable with the body for limiting the pivotal movement of the clamping arm in a direction away from the body.

3. A releasable suspension clamping device adapted to support an article from a line, comprising a generally flat Y-:shaped suspension body having a pair of horizontally aligned, reversely bent, downwardly opening suspension hooks at its upper extremity, said body having an opening in the lower portion thereof to receive an end of a hanger, a ,pair of flanges extending outwardly from the, body and located above said opening, said flanges having horizontally aligned apertures, a one-piece clamping arm having a hook at its upper extremity located between the hooks on the-body and said clamping armhaving a width sized to fit within the hooks on the body, said clamping arm being :obversely bent at its upper end to define a partial locking hook, .a pair of flanges extending outwardly in spaced relation from the clamping arm toward the body and disposed generally flatwise to the flanges of the body, said flanges having a pair of apertures in alignment with the apertures in the flanges on the body, a ,pinextending through the aligned apertures and pivotally connecting the clamping arm to the body, resilient means associated with the pin for urging the clamping arm in a direction away from the body, and a stop formed integrally with the clamping arm and bent at a predetermined angle and disposed to engage the body and limit the pivotal movement of the clamping arm in a direction away from the body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES EPATENTS 1,699,238 1/ 1929 Holworthy 248-2263 2,647,523 8/ 1953 Vollender 131-257 2,915,274 12/1959 Gustitus 2483 17 2,980,383 4/1961 Anderson 2483l7 2,980,977 4/1961 Heiford 24-253 References Cited by the Applicant.

UNITED STATES PATENTS CHANCELLOR HARRIS, Acting PrimaryExamine CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Examiner. 

1. A RELEASABLE SUSPENSION CLAMPING DEVICE FOR SUSPENDING ARTICLES FROM A LINE, COMPRISING A GENERALLY FLAT Y-SHAPED SUSPENSION MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF HORIZONTALLY ALIGNED HOOKS AT ITS UPPER EXTREMITY, A CLAMPING MEMBER HAVING A HOOK AT ITS UPPER EXTREMITY WITH THE HOOK ON THE CLAMPING MEMBER ARM BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN THE HOOKS ON THE SUSPENSION MEMBER AND LYING IN THE SAME HORIZONTAL PLANE WITH THE HOOKS ON THE SUSPENSION MEMBER AND FACING GENERALLY IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM THE HOOKS ON THE SUSPENSION MEMBER, MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE LOWER PORTION OF THE SUSPENSION MEMBER AND THE LOWER PORTION OF THE CLAMPING MEMBER, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOWER PORTION OF ONE OF SAID MEMBERS FOR RECEIVING A HANGER, AND RESILIENT MEANS FOR URGING THE CLAMPING MEMBER IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM THE SUSPENSION MEMBER WHEREBY THE HOOK OF THE CLAMPING MEMBER WILL URGE A LINE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE HOOKS ON THE SUSPENSION MEMBER. 